MIT releases Scratch 2.0 to get kids coding in the cloud

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Learning to code can be quite intimidating depending on how you approach it. Sit a complete beginner in front of a C compiler and hand them a tutorial or book, even a very good one, and chances are they won’t get very far. There are simpler routes in, such as Python and Ruby, but visual tools, especially for children, can keep them engaged and learning.

It’s for this reason the MIT Media Lab created and released Scratch back in 2006. It doesn’t require any lines of code be written, and can be used by even younger children, say 8+. There’s also a pretty good book out there called Super Scratch Programming Adventure!, which I reviewed last year.

It’s been 7 years since Scratch got released, though, and with how the Internet has progressed during that time, Scratch was starting to look a little limited. MIT realized this, and got to work on Scratch 2.0.

Scratch 2.0 is now available to use, and it brings with it a ton of improvements. The biggest of those has to be the shift from a downloadable piece of software to a browser-based interface. By making that transition, MIT has opened Scratch up to an even wider audience, including Chromebook users. It also means there’s only one version to maintain, and saves happen automatically in the cloud.

With Scratch 2.0 loaded, you also get a load of new functionality. The paint editor now uses vector graphics meaning they scale without losing detail. There’s a Backpack feature that allows you to move your graphical assets between projects, webcam interaction is now a standard feature, and you can create your very own Scratch blocks, meaning you can setup some predefined behavior and wrap it up in a block to use anywhere.

Sharing your projects has always been a key feature of Scratch, and that’s been enhanced in version 2.0. Users choose to share their projects, and when they do, you can take a look at how they are put together, save them to work on yourself (Remix), and follow people who create projects you like to watch their progress. There’s also the chance to show off what you’ve created in the Scratch galleries, which have been renamed Studios.

MIT hasn’t finished working on Scratch 2.0, though. A downloadable version is in the works for anyone who doesn’t have a reliable connection. We can also look forward to seeing interactions with Lego WeDo and ScratchBoard added.